City of Sausalito News

Police Department Reports Data on 2018 Tourist Bicycle Season

Post Date:11/16/2018 3:00 PM

The number of bicycles coming into Sausalito from the south end of town declined by approximately 6% during this year's tourist bicycle season, according to a 2018 Congestion Management End of Season Report prepared by the Sausalito Police Department and presented to the City Council on Tuesday, November 13. The decline between 2018 and 2017 followed a 12% decline between 2017 and 2016.

The bicycle numbers were recorded by Sausalito Bike Return, the City's contractor for ambassador, bicycle parking, and bicycle return services. Of the 203,643 bicycles that were tallied at the southern gateway between March and October of this year, 61,755 purchased bicycle parking permits and 8,619 paid to have their bicycles returned by truck to San Francisco.

Improvements implemented during the City's 2018 Bicycle and Congestion Management Program included a reconfigured queuing area for ferry passengers, new benches at the ferry landing, and better downtown signage.

Total annual revenue from bicycle parking and bicycle return services was $288,918. Although making a profit is not a goal of the congestion management program, the City generated a net profit of $15,783 from its 2018 contract with Sausalito Bike Return.

Based on Sausalito Bike Return's success in managing bicycle circulation in 2018, the City Council approved an extension of the existing contract with the company at its meeting on November 13. The extension covers the period March 22 through October 13, 2019. With the new contract in place, the City will begin working with Sausalito Bike Return on possible improvements for 2019, which include replacing the Ventek payment system with Square.

Any questions or comments about Sausalito's Bicycle and Congestion Management Program may be directed to Lieutenant Stacie Gregory at sgregory@sausalito.gov or (415) 289-4170.